The city installed reflective posts and speed bumps at dangerous intersections to induce drivers to take left turns more slowly and carefully.
A traffic calming element installed at 18 Chicago intersections is successfully slowing left turns, reducing the risk of collisions with pedestrians, reports Monica Eng in Axios. The project is part of the city’s efforts to reach its Vision Zero goals and eliminate pedestrian deaths.
According to Eng, “Left turns were involved in 40% of crashes that led to serious injury or death from 2017 to 2021, according to city data.” David Smith, the city’s Complete Streets director, says data from a pilot program shows a 25 percent reduction in crashes at intersections where the change was made.
Some residents expressed frustration with the new infrastructure, inadvertently proving the device’s efficacy: “All they have done is further slow traffic,” one NextDoor commenter complained. Which is, after all, the point. “If you hit a speed bump or the rubber posts, you've driven in the wrong place.”
FULL STORY: Navigating new traffic turns
Milwaukee Announces 60 Traffic Calming Projects for 2025
The city has successfully reduced traffic deaths and aims to eliminate them completely within the next decade.
San Francisco Slow Streets Bucks Citywide Trend, Reducing Injuries by 61 Percent
Low-cost interventions aimed at slowing traffic are making a major impact on road safety.
San Francisco Implements ‘Daylighting’ at Intersections
Vehicles are prohibited from parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk as part of the city’s Vision Zero efforts to eliminate traffic deaths and make roads safer.
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
North Texas Transit Leaders Tout Benefits of TOD for Growing Region
At a summit focused on transit-oriented development, policymakers discussed how North Texas’ expanded light rail system can serve as a tool for economic growth.
Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?
Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.
How to Make US Trains Faster
Changes to boarding platforms and a switch to electric trains could improve U.S. passenger rail service without the added cost of high-speed rail.
Columbia’s Revitalized ‘Loop’ Is a Hub for Local Entrepreneurs
A focus on small businesses is helping a commercial corridor in Columbia, Missouri thrive.
Invasive Insect Threatens Minnesota’s Ash Forests
The Emerald Ash Borer is a rapidly spreading invasive pest threatening Minnesota’s ash trees, and homeowners are encouraged to plant diverse replacement species, avoid moving ash firewood, and monitor for signs of infestation.
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